Cream-treating process



Patented Sept. 14, 1926. I

UNITED STATES I v 1 1,599,650 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT K. COONEY, F HOMER, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIG-NMENTS, TO CAMPBELL-COONEY PATENTS 00., OF HOMER, MICHIGAN, A COR- PORATION OF IllflIICHIGrAN.

CREAM-TREATING PROCESS.

No Drawing. Application filed September It is common practice for creameries to purchase or receive cream from various producers from whom the cream is received in various conditions as to acidity and-care. 5 It is not possible to handle these small batches separately in creamery processes and such cream must be mixed and used in the making of butter. The result is that the butter made from s'uch'cream is not uni-' form and the cream cannot be used for any other purpose.

' The objects of my improved process are;

First, to provide an improved method of treating cream whereby a uniform product ma be produced which may be used for ma ing ice cream and other purposes where fresh sweet cream is ordinarily required.

Second, to provide an improved method of treatin cream whereby the same is rendered entirely wholesome and remains in wholesome condition for a considerable period.

Third, to provide an improved butter makin process which enables the produc tion 0 a very uniform product.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my improved process will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

The cream as delivered or collected from various producers may be mixed or placed in a common receptacle as desired. Cream so collected is of'varying degrees of acidity, not only as to difl'erent batches but as affected by weather conditions. i

To the cold cream, that is, cream. that is unheated or at atmospheric temperature, I add an alkaline neutralizer, preferably" soda ash. ,The-neutra1izer is introduced in the form of a solution and stirred in and a1- lowed to act from ten' to twenty minutes,'or

' longer as may be required, depending on the extent to which it is desired to reduce the acidity. I have found in practice that one gallon of soda solution to 400 pounds of cream" roduces satisfactory results, the soda ash so ution being prepared in the proportion OIUOIIB pound .of soda ash to one gallon of water and the soda ash being about 60% alkali; v,

After the neutralizer has been allowed to act for the desired eriod while the cream is cold, the cream is asteurized, being preffrom at a temperature of about 138 F.

as, 1925. Serial m. 59,041.

erably' raised to a temperature-0f about 150 F. The Pasteurized cream while still at approxlmately Pasteurizing temperature is then passed through a centrifugal clarifier by which the solids, largely of curd and foreign matter, are removed.

After passing through the. centrifugal clarifier the cream is passed while still heated through a centrifugal separator by which the cream is removed from other liq-, u1ds, including the liquids formed by the reactlon of the neutralizing agent. I prefer to use an alkaline neutralizer such as sodaash as it acts to dissolve the curd and the resultant of the neutralizer is in liquid form. This is effectively removed ,by the centrifugal separator. A percentage of the solids 1s removed by'the separator as I have found no clarifier whichremoves all of them. The soda ash is very satisfactoryas it serves to dissolve the curds and reactions of the neutralizer in liquid form are removed by the separator without carrying any substantlal, amount of butter fat therewith.

Further, the machines are not likely to become clogged by the solids.

As the-.cream is delivered from the sep-' arator it contains a high percentage-of but ter fat. It is reduced to the desired percentage by the addition of sweet milk, either whole or skimmed, as ma be desired, the milk being added while t e cream is hot, preferably prior to cooling. If it should be mater ally cooled after passing through the separator it is preferabl reheated, as it is found that the milk wi-l mix with the plream more effectively while the cream is It is found in practice that, when coldcream is allowed to stand with a neutralizer added until its acidity is about 22%, after passing through the clarifier its acidity is reduced to about .18%, and after passing through the separator its acidity is about 12%. x

It is also found that when the cream is passed from the Pasteurizerat approximatey 150 F. it issues from the clarifier at approximately 144 F., and when immediately passed: from the separator it issues there- The treated cream ma be used for any purpose for which fres orv sweet cream may be used. It is wholesome and of good keeping qualities, although if allowed to stand it will become acid as does untreated cream, and maybe used for butter making by allowing the desired acidity to be developed, or, this may be hastened by the addition of a suitable culture. It is necessary, however, to reduce or standardize the cream when it is used {mtbutter making and this should be done pnlpr td addin of the'oulture. Butter of very superior an uniform quality may be produced. The flavor is under the control of the butter maker as the degree of acidity or the amount of lactic acid developed is easily controlled by the operator.

While I have quite specifically defined the steps as employed by me in practice, these may be considerably varied with satisfactory results to meet varying operating conditlons in the creamery or apparatus.

While I refer to use both a centrifugal clarifier and centrifugal separator, a single centrifugal machine or machines of one type may be used with quite satisfactor but greater care must be exercise and the to become clogged.

Having thus describe my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Ihe process of treating cream of high acidity consisting of adding a solution of soda ash as a neutralizing agent to unheated .cream and permitting the neutralizer to act while the cream is unheated, Pasteurizing,

' ed through a centrifugal separator whereby subjectin to a centrifugal machine whereby passing through a centrifugal clarifier while at approximately Pasteurizing temperature for removing solids, passing while still heatsuhstantially all 1i uid formed by the reaction of the neutra zing agent is removed,

and reducing whileheated to the desired percentage of butter fat by the addition of 2. The process of treating cream of high acidity consisting of adding. a solution of soda ash as a neutralizing agent to unheated cream andpermitting the neutralizer to act while the cream is unheated, Pasteurizing, passing through a centrifugal clarifier while at approximatel Pasteurizing temperature h for removing so 'ds, and passing while still results,

aseaeao heated through a centrifugal separator whereby substantially all liquid formed by the reaction of the moved.

3. The process of treating cream consisting of adding to unheated cream a neutralizing agent acting to reduce the acidity and dissolve the curds, Pasteurizing, subjecting to a centrifugal clarifying machine for removin solids, and subjecting to a second centrii igal machine for separating the cream from other liquids.

4. The recess of treating cream consisting of ad ing to unheated cream a neutralizing agent actin to reduce the acidity and dissolve the cur s,Pasteurizing, and subjecting to a centrifugal machine for separating the cream from other liquids.

5. The process of treating cream of high acidity consisting'of adding a neutralizing agent, the resultant of which is in the form of a liquid, Pasteurizing, and successively subjecting while heated to a centrifugal ma chine for removing the solids and to a second centrifugal machine for separating the cream from the liquids.

6. The propess of treating cream of high acidity consisting of adding to. unheated cream a neutralizing a cut, Pasteurizing, passing through a centri igal clarifier while at approximately Pasteurizing temperature, and passing while still heated through a centrifugal separator. I

' The process of treating cream consisting of adding an alkaline neutralizing agent while the cream is cold, Pasteurizing, and

the liqui formed by the reaction of the neutralizing agent is removed.

8. The .process of treating cream of high acidity consisting of adding a neutralizing agent to reduce the acidit while the cream is cold, Pasteurizing, an subjecting while at approximately Pasteurizing temperature to a centrifugal machine whereb the cream is freed from the liquid formed 'y the reaction of the neutralizin agent.

In witness wherof I ave hereunto set my and.

ROBERT 1K. UQONEY.

neutralizing agent is re- 

